I've only recently got into pedals. For 25+ years my entire philosophy was stock. Stock guitar into a stock amp. If you didn't like the sound, it meant you needed a different guitar and/or amp.

Only recently have I dabbled with pedals. I always thought they were mostly for people who couldn't play very well, like "dude, I sound like shit on a clean tube amp.... better add distortion & modulation to cover up my shit playing." Lol

I would guess that's still a huge portion of pedal users. But I've come around some.

I've only recently got into pedals. For 25+ years my entire philosophy was stock. Stock guitar into a stock amp. If you didn't like the sound, it meant you needed a different guitar and/or amp.

Only recently have I dabbled with pedals. I always thought they were mostly for people who couldn't play very well, like "dude, I sound like shit on a clean tube amp.... better add distortion & modulation to cover up my shit playing." Lol

I would guess that's still a huge portion of pedal users. But I've come around some.

I wouldn't say most players use pedals to cover up crappy playing. Sure distortion can cover up sloppy playing but any modulation especially delay and echo will only let people know you suck.
I mostly got into pedals to emulate the tones of the players whos songs i play (im not good enough to write anything so mostly play covers).
For example i recently aquired a strymon timeline which has opened the possibilities to learn songs i love that just dont sound right with out a certain effect, like "run like hell".
Which is also a great example of effects making it more noticable when you suck, dual delay with alot of repeats is not forgiving. Everyone hears that sour note 4 times or more before it goes away.
And i cant justify nor afford several amps so drive pedals fill that void since there and lots of great marshall, orange, mesa...in a box type pedals.

well.... this was actually an interesting way to look at things. My current "in front of amp pedal board" (I also have a small board I use in fx loop of the mesa) has 14 pedals (normal size + mini's) at ~$2k, of which most were purchased used at relatively decent deals. What was something that I hadn't looked at is that in reviewing my Reverb store, I have flipped about 30 pedals at ~$3k to eventually sort out the 14 that have stuck on the board.

I kind of look at it as always being even. I turn cash into a pedal, if it doesn't stick I turn it back into cash and try a different pedal. Even the ones currently velcro'd that I plan to keep can be turned back into cash with little change in value. I think the only thing wrong with my math is that I am likely making UPS rich...

I have a Neunaber Slate (which is an “Expanse” pedal now. The Seraphim Shimmer is definitely my favorite effect in it, but dude spend the extra < $100 and get the Expanse version. The stereo output is worth it alone providing you have two amps. Between that and having all the Neunaber pedals available to you with it, seriously get the Expanse series. Eventually you’ll want an exp pedal with it.

I have a Neunaber Slate (which is an “Expanse” pedal now. The Seraphim Shimmer is definitely my favorite effect in it, but dude spend the extra < $100 and get the Expanse version. The stereo output is worth it alone providing you have two amps. Between that and having all the Neunaber pedals available to you with it, seriously get the Expanse series. Eventually you’ll want an exp pedal with it.

The TGP version of this went to like $5k.
I’ve got about $2000, maybe a bit more.
But I built it over like 15yrs, and I don’t flip stuff.
I do one or two pedals a year, typically, but I’ve got all I need now, pending a final decision on that Supro trem.
I’m a “one of each” guy. You guys can do the math:
Voodoo Lab PP2+
BMF wah
MDV-2
London Fuzz
Beano
Ego
BMF Brass Knuckles (small box CompCut pedal-$180)
Voodoo Lab trem
CS Script 90
Micro Flanger
Analogman Mini chorus
Topanga
Pitchblack
Ditto